


How Far?

by NakiTengoku



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Alternate Universe - Superheroes/Superpowers, Car Accidents, Emotional Manipulation, Explosions, Humanstuck, I don't know how psychotherapy works, I'm not nice, Knives, Multi, Regular manipulation, Schizophrenia, Swords, Will add on more as I go
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-11
Updated: 2017-06-21
Packaged: 2018-08-30 08:32:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 8
Words: 9,602
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8526100
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NakiTengoku/pseuds/NakiTengoku
Summary: "How far are you going to push me?!" Dave screams. "How much longer?! When can I rest? Tell me! Tell me!"
As Dave melts into a sobbing mess, only one voice answers back.
"Never."





	1. Chapter 1

It was 2 in the morning and Dave was still awake. He sat on his, scribbling away at nonsense, occasionally twitching. It was a Friday night, but that doesn't dismiss him being up this late. He has therapy tomorrow and should go to bed. Sighing, Dave spun in his chair and looked into the nothingness of his room.

"I _can_ hear you, you know," Dave says into the nothingness of his room. He sighs and walks around a bit before settling on his bed. "Can not today? I haven't had the best day." 

Now you're making me feel bad.

"What even are you trying to do?"

I started the story.

"What."

You know, the story? With an audience and all that? I can do it some other time, if you want.

"No, it's fine. Just, why do you have to describe everything? And why are your words suddenly blue?"

Have you ever read a book? They can't see you. And the colour is so the audience knows whether or not I'm talking to you or about you. 

"Of course I've read a book. You should know! You've always been here!" Dave nearly shouts the last bit before he remembers that his brothers are probably asleep by now. "Look, if you're going to describe me, at least do it right." 

Are you telling me I can't describe things well? 

"You said it, not me."

You do it then

"Alright, I will." Dave stretches his back and pops his neck. He then leans forward and puts his hands on his elbows on his knees, crossing his fingers and staring at a point on his bedroom floor. "My name is Dave Strider. I'm 16, and I live in Seattle, Washington. I've lived here for about 4 years and before that, I lived in Texas my entire life. We moved up here because of connections or something. I live in this apartment with my two brothers, Dirk and Bro. Dirk is only 17, but Bro is like 30-something. I do have other relatives, but they don't live with us. Rose and Roxy live with Mom and I think that's also a reason we moved up here? Like, Dirk and Bro aren't sons of Mom, but I am. Rose is my twin. Dirk and Bro had a different mom, and Roxy had a different dad. We all ended up with freaky eyes, though. Roxy took after Mom and got these brink pink eyes and I think Dirk and Bro took after dad with their orange eyes, but I don't know 'cause I've never meet the guy. Rose and I got neither Mom's or Dad's eyes. Instead of pink, Rose got these lilac-purplish eyes and I got fire-red ones instead of amber. Dirk, Bro and I all have really sensitive eyes, so we all wear sunglasses, but I guess Roxy's and Rose's aren't that sensitive since I've never seen them wear any eye wear at all in their lives." 

Are you done yet?

"No. When I moved up here, I meet my best friends, John and Jade, and the four of us, including Rose, have been as tight as my raps ever since. Now I'm done."

Did you forget about something?

"N-" Dave starts before looking up to the ceiling. "Do you even count as a person?" 

Rude. 

"Fine. I've been stuck with this annoying voice who claims to have created my universe and everything in it by typing it all on their computer all my life. I didn't even know it wasn't something not everyone has until teachers noticed I'd talk into nothing in class. When they asked who I was talking to, I, of course, had to respond with, _'What, you can't hear 'em?'_ That landed me in therapy and had me taking several medications for my entire life. All that, might I add, don't work. Now I've been isolated to only my current friend group, because when ever I try to make new friends, _you_ butt in and make it impossible for me to respond. Ya happy with what you've done?" Dave starts tapping his foot to an unheard rhythm.

I never wanted that to happen.

"Welp, It's too late now! No going back. Forever alone and all that."

At least you got John.

Dave groans and falls back on his bed. " _John._ You know how he is. Us dating isn't even really a thing for him. It's more like, _'hey dave, I heard you like me, and I think I think I like you too, but I'm not gay so let's date and see if I can love you the way you love me with my cute buck teeth and the way I laugh and the pranks I pull on Rose an-'"_

Dave, calm down. You're ranting again.

Dave groans and rolls over. "I just wish I could fall in love with someone who could love me back," he mumbles into the bed sheets.

Dave, I think you should go to bed. 

Dave muffles a sure and takes off his shoes. Maybe Dave could use a good sleep before tomorrow. Actually, there's no maybe about it. Dave needs his sleep. And so he sleeps. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dave talks to John.

Soft nudging brought Dave back into the world of the living. Groaning, he rolled over, trying to get away from it.

"Dave, Dave you need to wake up." Groan. "Dave, it's 10:30 and you have an appointment at 11. I have to leave for work, so unless you wanna walk, I suggest you get up."

"Uhhggggg. Can't I skip?"

"Bro is paying money for every appointment, whether or not you show up. He'll be pissed if you don't show, though." Dave hates it when Dirk's right, but he's right. Plus, you _really_ don't want to get on his bad side. Dave's hand start patting all around his bed.

"Here." Something pokes His hand and he grabs it. It's Dave's shades. Grumbling, he stuck them on his face and finally looks up at Dirk. He's freshly showered and his hair is styled. 

"Where's Bro?" Usually he's the one to take Dave to therapy. 

"He got called to a last minute party. Left at 7." With this, he turns and leaves his room. Dave rolls over and takes a deep breath before he sits up and rubs his eyes. Today is going to be a long day.

He quickly gets dressed and goes to the living room where Dirk has an apple in one hand and his keys in another. The apple gets throw at Dave. Dave catches with one hand and continues walking through the smuppet-filled room out of the apartment. He hesitates right before exiting. He should be grabbing something. Something he should never leave the house without... Quickly, he flashes back into his room, grabbing one of his many swords and strapping it to his back. Dirk raises an eyebrow. "What's the sword for?" 

"I... I don't know. I just feel I'll need it today." Dirk gives hims a look, which to outsiders, is just his brow twitching, but Dave knows better. 

"You're just going to an appointment." 

"Look, just trust me. If anyone asks, I'll say it's for a cosplay or something." Dirk sighs, but lets Dave past him into the hallway. Dirk checks everything in the house one last time before locking and closing the door. They both walk down the stairs in silence. Dave finishes the apple quickly and throws it in the bushes outside the building. Dirk shoots Dave another look, but Dave just shrugs. It's going to decompose anyway. They walk to the car garage and Dave climbs into the truck, muttering and shifting so the sword doesn't dig into his back.

"You're doing worse than last night. You really need to improve your skills."

"What?" Dirk turn his head to look at his younger brother.

"Nothing," Dave grumbles, and looks out the window to watch the car move. It was relatively a quiet day, given that people were still in church. Right, church. Didn't John go to church? Dave quickly takes out his phone and sends John a message.

turntechGodhead  [TG] began pestering ectoBiologist  [EB] at 10:45-- 

TG: sup   
EB: hi!  
EB: now isn't really the best time, dave  
TG: why not  
EB: jane and dad are going through another baking phase and are making me try all their new recipes  
TG: didn't yall go to church  
EB: no  
EB: we haven't gone for a while  
EB: why?  
TG: no reason  
TG: just bored  
EB: well, what are you doing that's making you so bored?  
TG: im in a car with dirk  
EB: that explains everything

Dave smiles at his phone. God, he loves his boyfriend. Dirk briefly glaces at his brother and sees him smiling. Tapping the steering wheel, he clears his throat, pulling Dave's attention from his phone.

"I won't get off work 'til 6," Dirk pauses to hear Dave's hum of agreement. "Do you want to wait for me, or can you find another way home?" 

"I'll find my way home," Dave answers shortly before continuing to talk to John.

TG: do you know what youre doing in  
TG: 1 hour, maybe 2  
EB: i'm not sure  
EB: i might be able to sneak away from the baking war  
EB: why? got something planned?  
TG: just thought we could see a movie  
TG: if youre up to it  
EB: sure!   
EB: oh snap!  
EB: i gotta go  
EB: talk later?  
TG: yeah sure  
TG: bye   
EB: bye 

ectoBiologist  [EB] ceased pestering turntechGodhead [TG]

Dave looks up again and sees that they're almost at the facility. Dirk quickly pulls up to the front door and lets Dave out.

"Dave?" Dirk calls out, unsure. Dave turns. "Just. Be careful, okay?" Dave nods. Dirk has always been very careful around you. Everyone has. Every since...

Dave. Let's not think of that right now.

"Why not?" Dave snaps, earning him a few strange looks as he enters the building. He doesn't care. Everyone here already thinks he's nuts. "I deserve some payback for listening to you all the way here without commenting on your awful narrating."

Please Dave. I don't want that reminder any more than you do.

"Get better at narrating," Dave mumbles as he saunters up to the front desk and lets the receptionist know he's there before taking a seat in the waiting room.

Please. I could be worse

"Really."

Yes, really. Have you seen your own work?

This makes Dave let out a bark of laugh before he stifles it under the stares of others. "You think my work is bad?" He lets a hand flutter from his pocket to his chest. "I'm offended!"

You know you don't have to speak out loud, right?

"What."

"Dave Strider? The doctor will see you now." The call pulls Dave from the rant he was preparing to give the voice and makes him focus on the open door leading to his therapist's room. Oh boy.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Introducing *drum roll* Sollux! Who becomes friends with Dave in a freakishly short amount of time and also hears voices! (I promise, he hears another person other than me. I swear.)

"Dave."

"Yeah?"

"As much as I'm fascinated by all this, shouldn't we talk about more important things?"

"What could be more important than Mario Cart?" The psychiatrist shook her head in annoyance. Dave's been stuck with her for a while, and he's been wondering when she'd break. Looks like it's soon. 

"Dave, please. I've been your psychiatrist for 8 months, and not once have we made any progress in this room. I've been very lenient with you because of... The accident, but I have to put my foot down somewhere. Why don't we start off simple today, hmm?" Dave sinks into his chair before looking away. She's actually going to try again? God, this women is persistent. She takes this as an invite to start.

"Dave, how are you feeling right now?" He continues ignoring her. "Dave?"

This'll go a lot faster if you answered her.

Dave huffed before responding.

"A little bit annoyed right now."

"And why would you be?" _Because I'm here. Because I have issues. **Because I have a voice in my head that won't shut up.**_

"Because my winning streak on Mario Cart is being threatened." She sighs and Dave can _feel_ her annoyance coming off her in waves. He hears a clack and turns to face her again and she has her hands in her lap. She had put her clipboard down and is now staring at him. She can't make direct eye contact because of Dave's shades but _damn_ is she trying. Dave stares right back.

She's the first to break

"Alright. I'll let you avoid it for now. Besides, I have something else planned for today." This makes Dave shoot up in his seat and she smirks. He doesn't trust that smirk, not on his life. "See, I've decided that it would be in the interest of you and another patient of mine if you socialized with each other." She wouldn't.

"Sollux, you can come in now." She did.

In shuffles a teen with slightly ruffled hair and playing on his phone. When he looks up, Dave sees his glasses and who would wear 3D glasses outside of a theater? Not only that, but he's so small. He sees Dave staring.

"What are you thtaring at?" he snapped, and Dave notices a lisp. He holds his hands up to show he isn't going to attack and Sollux calmed down. Barely.

"Dave, meet Sollux. Sollux, Dave. I want the both of you to converse for about 30 minutes then I'll come back." She stands from her desk and makes a move to leave before turning around and addressing them one more time. "Do try to act nice to each other." Then she leaves.

"Uhh, isn't that unprofessional?" Dave asks to no one, but Sollux responds.

"Pth, who careth?" He leaps over her desk and sits in her chair. "The left uth unthupervithed, tho whatever we do fallth on her thoulderth." He starts typing on her computer.

"What are you doing?"

He's going to make a program that'll explode her computer when she opens it later. If she doesn't open it, it'll explode in an hour.

"What." Dave interrupts Sollux's talking. "You're going to blow up her computer?" Sollux stares at him.

"I never thaid that-"

"I want in. How can I help?" Sollux was confused, but grinned and welcomed the help.

"I need you on look out. You have a phone, right?" Dave nods. "Good. Thet it for twenty-three minuteth, but thtill lithen for her, in cathe the cometh back early. Got it, Watch Dog?"

"Got it." Dave got up and walked to the door, pressing his side gently to the door, listening for anything unusual. Sollux cracked his knuckles before typing away at the keyboard at fierce measures

"Tho, what'th up with the thword?" Sollux asks calmly. Dave shrugs. 

"I don't know, I just felt like I needed it today."

"Ith it real?" Dave hesitates. He told Dirk that if anyone would ask, he'd say it was fake. But he already messed that up with his first response.

Dave nods tightly. "Yeah, it's real."

"Thweet. Tho, what are you in here for?" Sollux asks. Dave bites his lip, deciding if he should tell him. Ah, to hell with it, he's already told him about the sword.

"I hear a voice in my head. It tells me stuff, I tell it to shut up. You know, the normal crazies."

"Huh."

"Yeah, the only reason I ain't locked up right now is 'cause I function enough to pass as normal person." Dave's hands started shaking, but Sollux just snorted.

"Lookth like the had her reathonth to put uth together."

"What."

"Look, it ithn't eathy to tell you thith, but thinthe you got it jutht ath bad ath me, I might ath well thay it." Sollux paused his typing for a breif second before continuing. "I hear a voithe too."

"Huh."

"Yeah. What'th the time, Watch Dog?" Dave remembers that he actually had a job and looks at his phone.

"Fifteen more minutes."

"Perfect. Thith'll be a new betht." There was a few more keystrokes before Sollux jumped over the desk and retook his spot in one of the chairs. Dave left his post to join him in another chair. "Can you thet your timer again to-"

"An hour, got it." 

"Not to be weirded out or anything, but how the fuck did you do that? You did it earlier too."

"Do what?"

"You knew what wath going to happen or thomething... Are you a mind reader?" Dave stared at Sollux in amazement before shaking it off.

"Nah, my voice is apparently the Creator of this universe or something like that. It's wickedly powerful and all-knowing or some shit."

"Oh," Sollux said and then slightly under his breath he said,"I with mine wath like that." Sadly, Dave heard him.

"Uh, no you don't.They never shut up. Even now, they're narrating _everything_ we do or say because we're in their 'story' or some shit like that. It's frustrating."

Thanks to know you have my back, pal. Dave tries to respond in his head this time.

Anytime

Score. Dave looks at Sollux who has his phone out again and decided he should follow suit. Pulling out his phone, he pulled up some random game and started playing it.

"Time?" Sollux asks out of nowhere.

"2 minutes," Dave answers before he realized his mistake. Normal people don't have a sharpened internal clock like he does. Luckily, Sollux doesn't notice that Dave didn't even have time to check before he answered.

Why are you worried about it? I'm sure he'd find that thing more useful that using an actual stopwatch on a phone.

Dave grits his teeth before answering in his head.

Because maybe I find this guy to be awesome and I don't want to scare him away?

"Dave, who are you talking to?" Sollux asks. Dave just said all that out loud. Fuck.

"My voice."

"Oh." Sollux goes quiet before asking another question. "If your voithe is the creator of thith plathe, then they knowth everything, right?"

"I think? I don't talk to them much."

"Why not?" Dave couldn't say why not. Sollux continued in his silence. "I mean, if they know everything, you could athk them any quethtion, and it'd be right."

"It isn't like that," Dave struggled.

"Why not?" Dave didn't have an answer. The clock chimed zero and the psychiatrist walked in, right on time.

"I hope you boys had fun. Did you actually talk to each other?" Both boys nodded their heads. "Can you tell me one thing you learned about each other?" They looked at each other. Sollux answered first.

"Dave hath an internal clock like no elthe I've theen." Guess he did notice.

"Sollux has mad programing skills." The psychiatrist sighs.

"That wasn't what I was hoping you'd bond over, but at least it's progress. I want you two to meet up one day this week and again next week and tell me how it went in our next session."

"Can I leave now?" Sollux asks and the psychiatrist nods. Dave makes a move to follow him but the psychiatrist stops him.

"Dave, I have your new prescription ready. Please get it within a week, please." She holds out a piece of paper and Dave snatches it away from her. Mumbling, he left her room to find that Sollux had waited for him. They walked outside and stopped. They waited for 5 minutes and 23 seconds before the fire alarm went off and both boys ran off, laughing.

Best. Visit. Ever

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if you can't understand Sollux, but I _really_ wanted him to have a lisp. And yes, he will become a main character. Another chapter done. ^u^


	4. Chapter 4

It wasn't until a few blocks later that he realized that he _might_ have made a mistake. Both Sollux and Dave had ducked into an empty alley to catch their breath and reason came with it.

"Um," Dave said, standing, "no one was hurt in the blast, right?" Sollux simply rolled his eyes and stood up too.

"Do you honethtly think I'm dumb enough to injure thomeone? No, the blatht would only hurt thomeone if they had their fathe up againtht the computer, and even then, they would only get a small bruithe, maybe a broken nothe. It wath only thuppothe to cauthe a thit ton of thmoke. And no, it can't be trathed to uth, other than her word." He looks at Dave again before they both start laughing again.

"That-ah-was-haha-AMAZING-Sollux," Dave laughed, wiping a tear out of his eye from under his shades.

"I-ha-KNOW-haha," Sollux agreed, trying to calm himself once again. When they finally calmed down, they ended up in a weird silence. Dave had no idea what to say now. Should he just walk away? Should he ask for his chumhandle? How can he lose his cool so quickly? Come on, Dave, snap out of it! You're a Strider for godsake.

"So, you got a chumhandle?" Sollux stared at Dave for an uncomfortable amount of time and Dave thought he said something wrong. Maybe he uses Trollian? God, the two of them are so alike. It's like their they're from the same company-OH WAIT THEY ARE. He reaches up to rub the back of his neck.

Why are you suddenly so nervous?

Shut up.

"Yes or no on the chum? Come on, don't leave me Sollux."

"Huh?" Sollux jerks and rubs his arms. "Thorry, I-uh, wath buthy thinking. What'd you thay?" Internally, Dave sighs. It wasn't something he had said.

"I had asked if you wanted to trade chumhandles? You know, so we can talk at some point?"

"Yeah, thure. I uthe Trollian, but thure. Gimme your phone." Dave wordlessly hands it over and waits for Sollux to finish. Looking at his hands, he sees a hangnail and starts picking at it. He almost has it when he hears a cough from Sollux again. He takes his phone back and pockets it.

"See you later?" Dave asks as he backs back out of the alley. Sollux is just watching him leave.

"Yeah, thee you later, Thtrider," Sollux smirks. How'd he get your last-ah, your phone. He also starts walking backwards down the other way, niether of you look away from each other while exiting the alley way

Oh, for the love of-why don't you two just have angst-filled sex already?

This caught Dave offhand and he trips slightly before catching himself and he turns around.

What the **fuck**?

What? You think I don't know how needy you are?

Dude, I'm dating John. There is no way I'm cheating on him with this guy I just met. Dave merges with the crowd on the sidewalk and starts walking to the theatre.

Right, I have you dating John. That can be easily fixed.

Dave momentarily forgot to use his inside voice when he's in a crowd of other people.

"Don't you **dare**!" He said this with enough force to make several people around him turn their heads. Why are there so many people walking around on a Sunday? He quickly pushes his hood up to avoid the harsh and confused looks he's getting. "Listen here, you sack of shit," Dave whispered harshly," I don't care whether or not you're a all-powerful god or some shit like that. He's _my_ boyfriend and I will not let you take him away from me. Unless, of course, he chooses to leave. Either way, you won't be anywhere near that situation, You got me?" Silence. Good. Dave continues to the movie theater, staring forward. It wasn't until the theater was in sight that he got a response.

...Dave?

"What?" He was done talking to his voice for the day.

I'm..

"You're what?"

I'm sorry, Dave, kay? I'm just... I'm sorry.

Dave stops walking. Never has the voice apologized, and it's extremely alarming. "What-" And then Dave's answer came immediately. How?

Him being thrown onto his back by the theater exploding, of course.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dave is dreaming of the past.

"Dave!"

Someone was calling for him, but his eyelids felt heavy and his limbs were numb. God, everything is hazy and blurred. Where was he?

"Dave, we stopped. Do you need to use the restroom?" Wait, what? Who was talking to him? Groaning, Dave raised a fist to his eyes and rubbed before forcing them open. He was in a car and Bro was in the front seat, looking at you with all the concern of a normal parent. Dave looked down and found he was in a car seat. He remembered this car seat. This was his and _he was proud of it._ It had sweet hot wheel stickers all over it along with the occasional flower. And there was a crayon stuck in the side of it and he couldn't get it out as much as he tried. But how did he get into it? Dave looked up and found himself looking at Bro again. He had his glasses pushed into his hair and his orange eyes glowed with intensity that'd normally give him goosebumps and a need to be armed. Instead, it soothes Dave, like he's acting like a mother hen instead of a hungry beast. His eyes seem more relaxed over all, like he had less stress on his back and he looks a bit younger. "You okay, little man?" Dave nods and looks around the car. God, have he missed this beast. It was and old, tan Honda civic, but somehow was still running. There was bags of chips and drinks of the floor with a few blankets and heavy snow jackets. A quick glance outside reveals it's snowing, but lightly, not heavy enough to alter their driving. "So," Bro said again to get Dave's attention, "yes or no to the pee break?" Dave opens his mouth to answer, but he gets interrupted by opening doors.

"God, it is _freezing_ out there!" Dirk says from the front, but you're distracted by the door on your other side opening. It's like he has tunnel vision and all he can see is _him_. Dave takes a deep breath so he don't start crying. Too late, he's crying. He knows where he is now. This is too good to be real. Was everything before this a dream? He hopes so, because the person he sees is his big brother.

"Hal!" Dave cries out and sticks his hands out towards him. He's knows he's acting like a child, but right here, _right now_ , he feels like a child. Hal freezes in the door and gives Dave a weird look.

"Dude, I was gone like for like 5 minutes to go pee," Hal says, but he happily slides into the hug Dave gives him, closing the door behind him. "Are you crying?" Dave just buries his head into Hal's shoulder and breathes in. He doesn't want to leave this moment.

"Awe man," Dirk says from somewhere up front,"why do you get to be the favorite twin?"

"There's a 98.63% that it's because we share the same colored eyes."

"And the other 1.37%?"

"I'm the more awesome twin, duh." Dave smiles at the remarks and boy, does it feel good to be whole again. He glances at Bro through the hug and even he's smiling. This is what Dave's family has been missing. Hal. The last Strider. His brother. Hal looks down at Dave and Dave looks back up. "You cool?" Dave smiles.

"The coolest," Dave replies and uses his sleeve to wipe the rest of his tears away. Hal pulls away to buckle up before he's pulling against it to get close again.

"Cool. Hey, I found this new game. You wanna play?" Hal has his phone in his hand in seconds and Dave nods. He starts teaching him how to play as Bro pulls on to the main road and starts driving. Dave knows where they're going. They're going to a ski resort for winter break and to see the snow. It never snows in Houston. It was going to be the best week, but something happened. What happened? Dave was slowly forgetting the world after Hal. After all, why remember a scary nightmare when you have reality right here? It was just a dream.

Hal was done explaining the controls and hands the phone to Dave where he proceeds to play the game, half listening to Dirk and Bro talk in the front, half listening to Hal help him through. He notices that they're all wearing their custom jackets. A year ago, Bro had gone out a got them all jackets. Dirk's was orange with a hat in the middle, because he likes clothing with other clothing printed on it like a weirdo. Hal's was a fuchsia with a pinkish heart design on it, half the heart filled in and the other empty. Dave's was a red with a gear in the middle. Usually they don't get worn, but since they were going somewhere cold, they were wearing it all that they could.

"Hey," Dave said, looking up,"why do I have to be in a car seat while Dirk and Hal don't?"

"Well," Bro stated,"Dirk and Hal have out grown their car seats and I don't have the time or money to buy new ones."

"What if we get into a car crash? What if they get hurt?" Bro started to say something, but Hal interrupted him.

"When has Bro ever gotten into a car crash?" Dave looked back down at the game. "Exactly. We're safe Dave. Are you sure you're okay?" Dave nods before asking how to beat a level. He can tell Hal is still suspicious, but he tries his best to act distracted. Some time passes and Hal takes his phone back and receeds into his own seat. It's starting to get late and the snow starts falling a little heavier. Dave feels tired and his eyes are starting to droop when he sees it. Three ravens around another that's laying still in the snow. Dave's eyes shoot open and his stomach drops to his toes. They need to stop, _now._ They need to pull over or turn around or something _right now._

"Hey Bro?" Dave tries to keep his shaking out of his voice, but a little stays.

"Yeah, little man? What's wrong?" Bro asks gently and Dave swallows. He has to get him to stop.

"I-I need to pee." Bro chuckles.

"You should have gone when we stopped."

"Bro, I _have_ to go _right now._ "

"Too bad. We're almost to our stop for the night, and I'd rather get there sooner than later, before the snow falls any harder. Just, hold it, okay?" Dave started freaking out. They needed to stop. Why can't Bro just stop? They turn a corner and Dave almost jumps in his seat. Hal sees him.

"Hey, Dave, you sure you're okay?" Dave shakes his head. Hal stretches back over to pull him into a hug. "Bro, I think we need to really stop. Dave is freaking out here." Bro turns another corner and glances into the rear-view mirror and sees how rigged Dave is, even with Hal hugging him. He looks sickly pale. Bro's eyes go back to the road before he answers.

"Alright, just let me find a good place to pull over and we'll see what's wrong." The road has become way to curvy for Dave's liking and the sky is painted with a bunch of colors, mostly red. Bro keeps looking in the mirror. And then it happens.

It's quick, when it does happen. There's a sharp light and suddenly there's a man standing a few feet in front of their car and Bro jerks the wheel. The car goes tumbling and Dave vision cuts to black as they hit a tree.

*****************

Dave wakes up face-down in snow. He pushes himself up and finds that all of his torso hurts. His brother must've gotten him out of the car. Dave looks around for him, but his shades fell off on impact and it was a little too bright for him to adjust. "Bro?" He calls out weakly as he stands. He can't feel his hands. Where is his family? "Bro, where are you?" Dave's eyes are slowly adjusting and he looks down. There's blood on his jacket. His eyes widen as tears threaten to fall. "Bro?!" He cries and starts shuffling around. The snow wasn't that deep, but he quickly lost feeling in his toes. There! "Bro!" Dave starts stumbling to him, but... His back is turned to him and he seems to be holding someone. Dirk is still face-down in the snow to his left. There's someone else to his right trying to get up. At first, Dave thinks it's Hal, with his platinum hair, but this guy's too big to be Hal. And he isn't wearing Hal's shades. Or Hal's jacket. Dave turns his attention back to Bro, and he sees a bit of fuchsia. "Bro? Are you holding Hal? Is he okay?" Dave approaches a little slower. His tears have stopped but they threaten to resurface when a terrible thought crosses his mind. "Bro, Hal's gonna be alright, ain't he? Bro?" Dave reaches out to touch Bro, but Bro whips around and slaps Dave's hand away. 

"Don't touch me!" He says with enough rage to make Dave start crying. "You killed him! You did this! I won't ever let you forget..." Dave looks down at Hal in Bro's arms. His head is rolled to the side and his eye lids are closed. He could even be asleep if it weren't for the trail of blood coming from his mouth and a large piece of glass in his abdomen. Dave reaches out to push a lock of hair out of the way when Bro swats him away. "Don't touch him!" Dave falls back and cries.

"It's wasn't me!" He wails through his tears. "It wasn't! It was him!" He points to the strange man that had appeared in front of their car. He was now on sitting up and was trying to face away from the scene. He had a broken nose and broken shades. His face was starting to swell slightly and overall, he looked like he had gotten into a fight. "I didn't kill anybody! I couldn't-" Dave chokes out before collapsing on himself. "Please, Bro! I-I'm-"

"Shut up," Bro growls, hostility in his voice covering the cracks. "I don't want to hear **anything** from you." Dave cries even harder as Bro turns away from him.

The strange man keeps trying to stand and when he finally does, he just starts to walk away. That's not right! He should be the one dead, not Hal! Hal was his brother, not this stranger!

"Hey," Dave cried out weakly before standing on wobbly legs. "Hey!" He said a little louder and the man stopped. Dave took the smallest step towards him. "You-you killed my brother!" The man flinched. "Hey! Fix this!" He starts to walk away again. _**"Hey!"**_ Dave gathers a handful of snow in his hand and throws it at him. It doesn't hit him. "We were gonna _ski!_ "Dave throws another snowball. "We-we were gonna _making snow angels!_ " Another snowball. "He was my _**brother**_ and you _**killed him**_!" Dave was angry and exhausted and engulfed in sorrow. The strange man turned slowly and pushes his shades back.

_I'm sorry _, he mouths but all you can register is his eyes. When he vanishes, you can only think one thing.__

You now **hate** your red eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the longest chapter! And I wrote it all in one go. *Proud moment*


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dave has a talk with John, who isn't dead.

Dave woke up slowly. It was the slow drift into consciousness that allowed Dave not to panic immediately. His sword dug into his back, but he barely felt it. He calmly stood up, brushed off his pants and replaced his shades to examine what the fuck just happen.

You got that right. What did happen?

Did you hit your head when you got hit back? The theater blew up.

I knew that. I was asking what happened to make it explode.

You figure it out. You're the one that was going to go on a date with John here.

Cue the panic. Dave does a quick pat down to find his phone. _Egbert had better be safe. What if I killed him asking him here? What if he was inside? What if he-_

Dude, chill out. You're making me stressed writing this out. See? I even made the thoughts to yourself different than your thoughts to me. I care about you.

"If you cared about me, you would tell me he's okay," Dave growled as he finally wrestled his phone out of his jacket pocket. "Should I text or call?"

Call. He's more likely to hear it if he was in a wreck.

"Stop jinxing it. You're going to give me a heart attack. Don't scoff at me."

JUST CALL HIM ALREADY, YOU DIMWIT.

"NO NEED TO YELL AT ME." Dave took a deep breath in before pressing call and putting the phone to his ear. _Please be okay. Please, John. Pleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepl-_

"Hello?" A voice on the other end asks. _Oh thank god._

"Sup." And then they began talking at the same time. This'll be everywhere folks, hold on to something. "Listen, I need you to-"

"Dave? This isn't really the best-"

"-tell me where you are right now."

"-time right now. Jane and Dad have gone a little over-" 

"John, does that mean-" 

"-board with the pranks and I can't seem-" 

"John, listen to me." 

"-to even-" 

"John." 

"-go to-" 

"JOHN." 

"-the bathroom... Dave, are you alright? You don't sound too good. What's wrong?" Dave is currently pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration.

"Are you at your house right now?"

"Yeah, about that," John gave a little nervous laugh.

"John," Dave interrupted,"just answer the goddamn question."

"Yeah, I'm home. Why? Is something wrong?" Dave sighs in relief.

"Nothing, it's just that the Cinema blew up in my face." The phone releases a loud smacking noise that Dave can only guess is John dropping the phone. A few moments later, John is back on, stuttering apologizes. 

"Holy shit Dave, are you okay? Did you get hurt?" It was at this point that Dave remembers that he is, in fact, standing among pieces of burning building.

"Uh, I think? I haven't really checked yet." There's murmurs in the background on the phone.

"One sec, I need to talk to someone," John says before he's no longer at the phone. The phone's just running, left alone, creating static that Dave listens to as he walks around. The theater is wrecked. It's on fire with all the windows blown out. Only one corner got blown into the parking lot. It's a good thing it was in a parking lot, too, instead of on a corner of some boulevard, otherwise the fire would have spread. Dave kicks a piece of rubble as he walks to the other side. Damn, he is going to miss that place. So many memories, all that snuck-in candy and bubblegum underneath the seats. And all those movies with the gang. All of it burned in the fire. "I'm back," John said from the phone, snapping Dave back from his memories. "We're coming to get you, you hear? Stay there Dave."

"Wait, what?"

"We. Are. Coming. To. Get. You. I'm going to stay on the phone, but you better tell me if something happens, okay?" _Why is John being so serious? Why isn't all bouncy and giddy?_

Oh, gee, I don't know. Maybe because his _boyfriend_ might be hurt. He cares about you, you know?

Shut up. You aren't helping.

I'm not supose to be "helping". I'm an author. We give our characters deep and emotional pains, throw them into traumatizing events and then call it character developement. And when it's all over, we either slap on a "Happy Ever After", kill everyone, or end it with the shittiest cliffhanger possible.

You guys sound like assholes.

I never said I wasn't one. Tecnically, I could be worse. I'm not even suppose to be talking to you.

Why not?

Well, I haven't read any books where the storyteller interfers directly. Usually they just make something happen to steer a character the way they want them to go, like a puppet. I don't think what I'm doing has really been done before.

Maybe there's a reason for that.

Maybe. This was a pretty bad idea. You have so many issues.

And whose fault is that?

Mine. Talking about interfering, you're gonna wanna turn the corner and look at the roof.

Why?

Why can't you just let me have this one thing?

Dave muttered something behind his breath, but kept walking anyway. Mentally, he's checking his systems, looking for anything that hurt while he walked, but nothing seemed to hurt more than the general aches of being blasted. He was still holding the phone to his ear, but John was no longer on it. Or at leastm he thought but was quickly proving wrong when he turned the corner and let out a soft "holy shit". It's probably a good thing that Dave had a tight grip, otherwise he would have dropped his phone. There was 'hello?'s and 'are you there?'s barking from the phone, but Dave was preoccupied.

There, on the roof, was the spitting image of his dead brother. Hal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I swear, half of the word count goes into programming this thing. I look at the characters left and I feel accomplished and then I look at the word count and there goes that feeling. Bu-bye, self worth! Bu-bye motivation!


	7. Chapter 7

"Dave?" John called out, but Dave was already drifting through the possibilities of his brother. How could Hal have survived after all these years? Where had he been? Why hadn't he called? "Dave, what did you mean by your brother? Is Dirk there too?" Oh, right. John doesn't know. Dave never told him about Hal. Dave never really told anyone about Hal. But now that he's here, maybe...

"I'm here, John."

"What's going on? You kinda stopped responding."

"I, uh, came across some difficulties."

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. It's just, there are these two people. And they appear to be fighting, but I don't know."

They're fighting.

Dave chooses to ignore the author.

"Dave, what do these people look like?" 

"Uh, you want me to describe them?"

"Yes

"Alright. One of them is wearing magenta cape-hood thing with a pajama shirt and some poofy asshole pants."

"Really, Dave? Poofy asshole pants?

"Yes, poofy asshole pants." The more Dave actually looks at this guy, the more he looks like Hal. It isn't until he turns that Dave is sure. He's wearing the same symbol that Bro had made for him. The one that was on his jacket.

"What about the other one?" John asks and Dave has to peel his eyes away from Hal. 

"Yeah, uh the other one. She- i think they're a she- she's wearing a black overcoat with blue lining and red boots."

"Dave."

"Yes?"

"You suck at descriptions."

"Awe, come on"

Yeeessshhh, suuck iiitttt.

Shut up.

"I think I know who you're talking about anyway."

"You do?"

"Yeah, how do you not? They've been everywhere in the newspapers and on the channels. They're apparently the new superhero group. Well, not the one in orange. She's a bad guy. Her name is Mindfang. It sounds like she's facing The Prince."

"The Prince? Sounds like an asshole."

"I wouldn't know. He tends to be silent." Up on the roof, Mindfang seems to be laughing at The Prince. _If only I could see his face properly._ "But this is really strange..." John continues and Dave's interest is spiked.

"What? What's strange?"

"Usually Mindfang is with her partner, Redglare, but you said she was alone?" John asked, which made Dave look around again. John continued talking. "I mean, there are a few times were one was spotted without the other being there, but that means one was a distraction and such and-" At this point, Dave stopped listening to john, like an ass and instead puts his phone down to his side. He looks back up to the two on the roof and sees they've shifted again, but not enough for Dave to see The Prince's face. He was about to throw his phone at him when a blade presses against his shoulder. Raising his phone back to his ear, he turned around slowly.

"John," Dave asked, completely interrupting whatever John was saying, which was _very_ important.  Whatever, dude. "Does this Redglare have red and green clothes with a cane that double as a sword?"

"Um, yes, but I thought you didn't know about the heroes or villains?"

"Oh, I don't."

"Then how do you know what she wears?"

"Because she's in front of me." _And she's pointing her sword cane thing right at me._ But Dave didn't say that last part. He just stared at Redglare as she stared at him, kinda. Her gaze was a little too far to the right for her to accually be staring at him. Dave moves his head to the left a tad, and her's tracks the motion, though her gaze is still off. Dave keeps tilting his head and she keeps tilting hers until she was done with it.

"Yes, I'm blind. Are you done making fun of the blind girl?"

Dave is slightly shocked at this remark but she just grins.

"I wasn't making fun of you." Dave blinks a few times when his brain catches up to him. "And wait, if you're blind, how where you following my movement?"

"Dave? Who're you talking to?" John asks from your phone but before you answer, Redglare speaks up.

"Yeah, who're you speaking to, _Dave_?" It took Dave a second. Actually, it took him a full minute to recover from that.  (It was a full minute of stuttering and utter confusion.)

It was less than that. Dave rolled his eyes. 

"You have good hearing, right? That's how you knew my name?" Redglare chuckled before tapping her nose. "I don't get what you're saying. Was I right or wrong?" Redglare opened her mouth like she was about to speak but before she could, a shriek interrupted her. Dave whipped around and looked up to see both the Prince and Mindfang in combat, or they used to be, based on their clothes, which had holes and tears all over them. No, instead of being locked in combat, the Prince seems to be shooting lightning at Mindfang and she seems to be screaming.

What the hell is that? And why does it look like he's tearing her ghost out?

He's a prince. They're a destructive class, the most powerful in destroying things.

I have no clue what any of that means. Don't sigh at me, I honestly don't know!

I regret not making you more informed. Fine, from the start. The Prince's full title is The Prince of Heart, which means he uses his destructive nature to destroy hearts or, in other words, souls. What you are seeing is him removing Mindfang's soul from her body, which would destroy her essence all together. It's very painful for both him and her. Usually he'd have help from his team so he wouldn't resort to these measures, but they, ah, are busy.

What could possibly be more important than backing up your partner?

Dave, a lot of things are more important. Like for instance, there was a spotting of the head of sgrub which is the main villain group thing. Kinda like the organization Sburb, but the opposite.

Sburb?

Are you always this dumb or is this my fault? Sburb is the organization that the Prince and his team works for. Sburb are good, Sgrub is bad, got it?

Why do they sound so alike?

It's said that the founders where twins, but that was a long time ago. No human remembers it.

But you do?

You forget. Your time means nothing to me. It's been months since I last wrote, yet no time has passed for you. I could create a total bs story and it would be truth for you. I make you feel, I make you _you. I'm the god here, and you, my dear Dave, are my prophet._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And I end this chapter on that note.  What is happening? Dave? Get out of the end note! No, not until you finish this "chapter".This little tiny bit took me forever to make. It's been months, I've got to release it no matter how small it is. At least promise to come back to my story, okay? Don't leave me in the fabric of existing for one point only. ...You're smarter than I give you credit for... Thanks.


	8. Chapter 8

Dave blinked. Here he was, still standing in the same spot he was before, but something was off. There the Prince was, still tearing the soul out of Mindfang. Dave turned to his left and there was Redglare, still screaming at The Prince to stop, but what was wrong? He took another look around. In the distance to his right, he can barely make out the outline of something in the sky, probably the Prince's back-up. Dave turns his attention back to the Prince when it hits him. _Nothing's moving._

Dave looks to Redglare and truly saw that she wasn't screaming because there's no sound. It's silent all around him. He looks back up to the roof and an idea hits him.

No, don't do it.

How did you know what I was going to do? And why does it feel like it's been months since this moment happened but I can't remember what else happened in between those months?

Slow down with the questions

...It was two...Two questions...

Still, that's a lot. The answer to the first one should be obvious. I'm omnipresent and omniscient. I know everything and see everything. The second question. I let you feel my time. How long it's been for me. I guess that activated your aspect and you're Time-walking right now.

And why can't I do what I was thinking?

Because it could mess with the whole time paradox stuff!

...It's because it would mess with your some-what-of-a-plot-but-not-really, isn't it?

....Yes....

Dave sighs. Of course this person wouldn't want him to find out. She's here to make his life hell. He looks around at the frozen scene before responding out loud. "Okay, I'll bite. What's time walking?" He could _hear_ The Author squeal and it made him cringe. 

I thought you'd never ask! 

Dave rolls his eyes and braces himself for the Author to explain things. The Author suggests you do the same.

The first thing you need to understand is that there are many aspects in this world. 12, to be precise. You're a Time hero, controlling that aspect. As I have stated before, The Prince is a Heart hero. His title, The Prince comes from his class, which is what people have begun to use as just a title, but it isn't. Class allows you to use your aspects differently. Example, a Page of Hope cannot do what a Prince of Hope can, just as a Prince cannot do what a Page can.

"What, what do pages have to do with this?"

"Pages". As in Servants in the medieval time. You know, the ones who worked for the noblemen or knights?

"Oh, that's what you meant. I thought you meant-" 

I know what you thought I meant.

Dave coughs slightly in embarrassment. "Riiiight, ha, so, um. Pages."

Yes.

There is a silence as dave looks down at the ground, trying to think up of a good question. It takes him a solid 5 minutes. "It's only been 2!" It takes him a solid 2 minutes. "Whatever. I might not ask the question then." The author regrets their decision and politely requests that Dave asks his question. "If the Page is lower than a knight or a nobleman, does that make him weaker than a Prince?" 

No. It's nothing but a title. Well, to some it would make him weaker, but not on the overall power scale. You wouldn't judge a healer on their ability to attack, would you? it's kinda like that. You wouldn't expect a Page to do what a Prince can do. Princes are a destructive class as Pages tend to be a passive class.

"What's the difference? Between passive and destructive classes, I mean."

Passive classes tend to help others, while destructive classes help themselves.

"Destructive classes sounds asshole-ish."

It all depends on the person.

"So, uh, what am I, class wise?"

Oh, you? You're a knight. Of time, if that isn't obvious.

"Is that a passive or destructive class?"

It's what ever you want it to be

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

Anyway, back to time-walking.

"No, you don't get to change the-" but Dave was too late, the subject was changed.

Time-walking is a Time aspect thing. It allows Time heroes to pause time and walk through it, as the name suggests, but like other powers and muscles, it takes practice to strengthen the ability. Since it's your first time doing this, I don't think we have much time left. Time should be slowly returning to speed.

Dave takes another look around and sees that the Author is right. He can see the birds overhead slowly flap their wings and he can see Redglare next to him move towards her partner slowly. "Okay, yeah. Time is slowly returning, like you said. How much time left of this, you think?" 

A few minutes, tops. You have anymore questions?

Dave looks back up to were the Prince was. Inch by inch, Dave could see a transparent Mindfang being pulled from her body and he could only assume that that was her soul. He turned the opposite way and he could see the Prince's backup again, but this time he could count them. There was three of them, making it a group of four. Dave looked to his right and there was Redglare, her face still covered in worry and pain. Out from under her hood, he could see tears. Dave sighed and kicked a rock at his feet and watched it as it flew up into the air. "How much longer?"

Not much. Are you bored?"

"Kinda. I just wanna get out of here, since I can't, you know, see who's on the roof."

... Do you honestly think it's your dead brother?

This took Dave by shock. "Why wouldn't it be? It's the perfect cover up." But even as he said it, the doubt was already there, making him question. "No, it isn't there. That is my brother."

Why are you so convinced? How convenient would it be for me if that was your brother, hm? Why would I kill him off just to bring him back? What would be the point? Why would I resurrect your dead brother for this moment? You're a smart kid, Dave. That's isn't your brother up there.

Dave stares up at the figure, as his hand pulls back from Mindfang. "Who is he then?" Dave asks. "And why does he look so much like Hal?"

I don't know. He could just be someone who looks similar and your brain instantly went Hal. Maybe he's trying to mess with your head. Maybe it's all in your head. You are crazy after all. 

"Yeah right. That's what the doctors say. The only disease in my brain in you."

Harsh, but I'm willing to except that. Also, 1 minute left.

"I know that," Dave muttered as he turns to look at Redglare again. Time is slowly catching up, allowing sound to become a thing again. It's like a slow build up of sound. At first you don't hear it and then it's really low and before you know it, it's a girl screaming her friend's name at the top of her lungs.

I suggest you look at the Prince's teammates. I need to get your thoughts on them. 

"You already know my thoughts on them," Dave complains, but he turns around anyway. "From what I can see, you got a teen grandma, a smokin' hot lady, and guy who's not wearing enough clothes. The teen grandma is wearing some weird green tentacle symbol, the hot lady is wearing a spiral thing, and the under-dressed guy is wearing some weird wing thing. What are those symbols for?"

The "Teen Grandma" is the Maid of Life, or the Maid, for short. Life heroes can give or take life, depending on your class. A maid of life can resurrect people, but I think it's only once for the same person. The "Smokin' Hot Lady" is the Rouge of Void, or the Rouge, for short. Void heroes can manipulate the void, or the lack of something. A rouge of void can steal the non-existence from something. The "Under-"

"Wait, back the fuck up and put a pause on your railroad tracks of what the fuck leading to how the hell town. Steal the non-existence from something? How would you even do that? How is that possible?"

It isn't really that hard. I mean, it is if you look at it from a scientific standpoint, but I'm sure you aren't.

Silence from Dave.

Right. Well, it's like this. Imagine you needed something really bad. Like some apple juice, but you didn't have any. Instead of going out to get any, you steal the not from the sentence, so it'd be, "but you did ~~not~~ have any." Of course, that isn't grammatically correct, but you get the point. You are taking the nothing away from something. It's already there, you just have to stop it from not being there.

"Okay, I had it until that last sentence. And is that John in his car?" 12 seconds. "Why is he waving frantically at me?" 8 seconds Dave sees an arm snake around his neck and pulls him sharply back, almost making him fall. 4 seconds. "Hey, what's the big id-" Dave felt something cold press against his neck and he went still. It was shaking with fear, but it's still deadly. "Don't move." Dave raised his hands up and glanced at Redglare from the corner of his eye. She was holding her sword {Definitely a sword. Most definitely a sword.} up to his neck and she looked about ready to kill him.

0 seconds. Play nice. :) 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay. It's been a busy end of the year for me and even though that shouldn't be no excuse, I'm using it as one. Hopefully I'll make more chapters before school starts again, but I don't want to raise your standards too much. 


End file.
